Top QB & WR Tandems

June 26, 2007

So, last week Peter King over at SI.com ranked the 32 starting quarterbacks for this upcoming season based on projected stats. Jay Cutler made it into the top ten (just barely at #10). I wasn’t too disappointed about that at first as this will be Jay’s first full year under center. But then I took a look at one or two of the QB’s ahead of him. I’m sure Vince Young will have a good year in TN and Phillip Rivers will do well in San Diego, but I personally think Cutler will out preform both by the end of next season.

Yesterday, Bucky Brooks from SI.com listed off the top 25 Wideouts for 2007 based on his projections. Javon Walker – no surprise to anyone – made the top 10 (placing #8).

“After posting a 1,000-yard season in his first season as a Bronco, Walker has established himself as Jay Cutler‘s favorite target. A vertical playmaker, he excels at double moves and deep routes off play action. With Travis Henry commanding attention in the backfield, Walker and Cutler should hook up for several big plays in 2007.”

— Bucky Brooks 6/25/07

I agree with his assessment of Walker and think his top ten are pretty close to what I would predict (were I an expert). However, I think TO and Driver will both need to have very good years to pass what I believe Walker will produce this season (my UNprofessional prediction is that he goes to the Pro Bowl at the end of the year).

But what really got me thinking was the fact that many of the Sports Illustrated top QB picks also had leading wideouts. Although this isn’t surprising, it made me wonder which of these top ten quarterbacks that also had top 25 receivers had the best combined tandem. So, in typical Denver Obsession non-scientific fashion I have added up their SI.com rankings and came up with the following list:

#1. Indianapolis Colts: Peyton Manning & Marvin Harrison*

#2. Cincinnati Bengals: Carson Palmer & Chad Johnson*

#3. New England Patriots: Tom Brady & Randy Moss

#4. Detroit Lions: Jon Kitna & Roy Williams*

#5. St. Louis Rams: Mark Bulger & Torry Holt

#6. Denver Broncos: Jay Culter & Javon Walker

#7. Seattle Seahawks: Matt Hasselbeck & Deion Branch

#8. New Orleans Saints: Drew Brees & Marques Colston

#9. Tennessee Titans: Vince Young & <NO TOP 25 WR>

#10. San Diego Chargers: Phillip Rivers & <NO TOP 25 WR>

*each of these teams had two wideouts in the top 25.

With Indy, Cincy and NE at the top of the list, I think this might be pretty close to accurate. And while I don’t agree with Detroit and St. Louis having a better tandem than Denver does, I do think that we’ll fall in the top five for the year, and this is pretty close to that.

Of course, no one really puts any stock in projections and predictions (even from the experts) in June. All of these pairs will need to preform on game day before this list really counts. In the end, this list will likely be something we will all get to laugh at in the off-season next year!

However, it’s exciting to think about having one of the leagues top five QB-WR duos, and I can’t wait to see them get out on the field and make this it happen!